27 September 2019
During recent construction site visits Inspectors found the unsafe consumer unit and distribution board, shown in the photographs below. A consumer unit is a type of distribution board, a component of an electrical power system within which an electrical power feed provides supply to subsidiary circuits.
The first photograph was taken within a site office with power going out to the site via a 240 volt outlet, transformed down to 110 volts. It shows a consumer unit with two areas of exposure. One gap left open, the other with a crude attempt made to cover the larger gap with a piece of cardboard.
Employees at the site have to access the Residual Current Device (RCD) on a daily basis to carry out the RCD check.
The Inspector was informed that this work was carried out by a qualified electrician.
Fig 1. Areas of exposure on consumer unit
The second photograph shows a distribution panel on a mobile generator being used to supply power to a construction site. The picture shows an exposed gap to the right of the bank of Mini Circuit Breakers (MCBs).
Users of the generator have to access the area shown on a daily basis, not only to test the RCD, but also to switch the generator on.
Fig2. Area of exposure on mobile generator
In both situations the risk of electrocution, electric shock and burns by coming into contact with live electrical elements, behind the RCDs & MCBs, was very real and could have led to serious injury or a fatality.
gov.je